--- /dev/null
+======================
+ Authentication Hooks
+======================
+
+This documents the hooks that are currently available for authentication
+plugins. If you need new hooks for your plugin, go ahead a submit a patch.
+
+What hooks are available?
+=========================
+
+'authentication'
+----------------
+
+This hook just needs to return ``True`` as this is how
+the MediaGoblin app knows that an authentication plugin is enabled.
+
+
+'auth_extra_validation'
+-----------------------
+
+This hook is used to provide any additional validation of the registration
+form when using ``mediagoblin.auth.tools.register_user()``. This hook runs
+through all enabled auth plugins.
+
+
+'auth_create_user'
+------------------
+
+This hook is used by ``mediagoblin.auth.tools.register_user()`` so plugins can
+store the necessary information when creating a user. This hook runs through
+all enabled auth plugins.
+
+'auth_get_user'
+---------------
+
+This hook is used by ``mediagoblin.auth.tools.check_login_simple()``. Your
+plugin should return a ``User`` object given a username.
+
+'auth_no_pass_redirect'
+-----------------------
+
+This hook is called in ``mediagoblin.auth.views`` in both the ``login`` and
+``register`` views. This hook should return the name of your plugin, so that
+if :ref:`basic_auth-chapter` is not enabled, the user will be redirected to the
+correct login and registration views for your plugin.
+
+The code assumes that it can generate a valid url given
+``mediagoblin.plugins.{{ your_plugin_here }}.login`` and
+``mediagoblin.plugins.{{ your_plugin_here }}.register``. This is only needed if
+you will not be using the ``login`` and ``register`` views in
+``mediagoblin.auth.views``.
+
+'auth_get_login_form'
+---------------------
+
+This hook is called in ``mediagoblin.auth.views.login()``. If you are not using
+that view, then you do not need this hook. This hook should take a ``request``
+object and return the ``LoginForm`` for your plugin.
+
+'auth_get_registration_form'
+----------------------------
+
+This hook is called in ``mediagoblin.auth.views.register()``. If you are not
+using that view, then you do not need this hook. This hook should take a
+``request`` object and return the ``RegisterForm`` for your plugin.
+
+'auth_gen_password_hash'
+------------------------
+
+This hook should accept a ``raw_pass`` and an ``extra_salt`` and return a
+hashed password to be stored in ``User.pw_hash``.
+
+'auth_check_password'
+---------------------
+
+This hook should accept a ``raw_pass``, a ``stored_hash``, and an ``extra_salt``.
+Your plugin should then check that the ``raw_pass`` hashes to the same thing as
+the ``stored_hash`` and return either ``True`` or ``False``.
+
+'auth_fake_login_attempt'
+-------------------------
+
+This hook is called in ``mediagoblin.auth.tools.check_login_simple``. It is
+called if a user is not found and should do something that takes the same amount
+of time as your ``check_password`` function. This is to help prevent timining
+attacks.